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Climber Wall Shrub

Clematis 'The President' (EL)
  • RHS AGM

clematis 'The President'

'The President' is a medium-sized deciduous climber. Single cupped flowers up to 18cm in width, with eight overlapping rich violet purple-blue sepals, silvery on the reverse with pinkish and deep red stamens. Flowers late spring to early summer and late summer to early autumn.

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Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.5–1 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Purple Green
Autumn Purple Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or North–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H6
Botanical details
Family
Ranunculaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Climbing
Potentially harmful
Skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus

Clematis can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs or herbaceous perennials, mostly climbing by twining leaf-stalks, and often with showy flowers. Some have attractive fluffy seedheads in autumn

Name status

Accepted

Horticultural Group
Early Large-flowered clematis have large star-shaped flowers in early summer, often with a second flowering in late summer

How to grow

Cultivation

Plant in a moisture-retentive, well-drained soil, with the roots and base of the plant kept cool and shaded by other plants or a layer of pebbles at the base. Plant with the crown 5-8cm (2-3in) deep to encourage new shoots to grow from below ground level. See clematis cultivation for more advice

Propagation

Propagate by layering or semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Wall side borders
Pruning

Pruning (clematis) group 2

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, snails and caterpillars; petals may be eaten by earwigs

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), clematis wilt and clematis slime flux

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